The Social Paradox: When Success Leaves Us Invisible

There was a moment early in my career when everything on the outside looked perfect...

I had a dream job, the kind of role people would envy, and yet I felt a growing hollowness inside. Surrounded by people, I still felt strangely unseen. What I could not understand at the time was that autonomy had taken over my life. I was chasing freedom and achievement, but I was losing the very thing that gives freedom meaning: connection.

This is the story William von Hippel tells in his new book The Social Paradox. And it is a story that explains why so many of us today feel anxious, lonely, and unsatisfied even when we seem to have everything.

So what happens when autonomy overwhelms connection? What happens when we live in a world where freedom is abundant but belonging feels scarce?

That is where the paradox lies.

Photo by Arctic Qu on Unsplash

What paid subscribers will get

Paid subscribers will receive:

• The full ad-free interview with William von Hippel

• A detailed companion reflection guide and digital workbook

• Behind-the-scenes insights from the Passion Struck podcast

• Exclusive content from The Ignited Life to help you apply the ideas in your own life